God’s Case against His People

1Heare the worde of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the lande, because there is no trueth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the lande.

2By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring they breake out, and blood toucheth blood.

3Therefore shall the land mourne, and euery one that dwelleth therein, shall be cut off, with the beasts of the fielde, and with the foules of the heauen, and also the fishes of the sea shall be taken away.

4Yet let none rebuke, nor reproue another: for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest.

5Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

6My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge: because thou hast refused knowledge, I will also refuse thee, that thou shalt be no Priest to me: and seeing thou hast forgotten the Lawe of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

7As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I chaunge their glorie into shame.

8They eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie.

9And there shalbe like people, like Priest: for I wil visite their wayes vpon them, and reward them their deedes.

10For they shall eate, and not haue ynough: they shall commit adulterie, & shall not increase, because they haue left off to take heede to ye Lord.

11Whoredome, and wine, and newe wine take away their heart.

12My people aske counsell at their stockes, and their staffe teacheth them: for the spirite of fornications hath caused them to erre, and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God.

13They sacrifice vpon the toppes of ye mountaines, and burne incense vpon the hilles vnder the okes, and the poplar tree, and the elme, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall be harlots, and your spouses shall be whores.

14I will not visite your daughters when they are harlots: nor your spouses when they are whores: for they themselues are separated with harlots, and sacrifice with whores: therefore the people that doeth not vnderstand, shall fall.

15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Iudah sinne: come not ye vnto Gilgal, neither goe ye vp to Beth-auen, nor sweare, The Lord liueth.

16For Israel is rebellious as an vnruly heyfer. Nowe the Lord will feede them as a lambe in a large place.

17Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.

18Their drunkennes stinketh: they haue committed whoredome: their rulers loue to say with shame, Bring ye.

19The winde hath bounde them vp in her wings, and they shalbe ashamed of their sacrifices.